Portable printing devices



R. c. LASSETER 2,715,361

PORTABLE PRINTING DEVICES Aug. 16, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed June 13, 1951 6 36 /3 INVENTOR ROBERT C. LQSSETER g- 16, 1955 R. c. LASSETER 2,715,361

PORTABLE PRINTING DEVICES Filed June 13, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIA IN VENTOR ROBERT C. LQSSETER ATTORNEYS 1955 R. c. LASSETER 2,715,361

PORTABLE PRINTING DEVICES Filed June 13, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 22 23 2/ 1 --2 30 49 as 32 2o r MES 11.? I 27 32 F95 8. 29 27 INVENTOR RObERT c LQSSETER 4 ATTORNEYS United States Patent PORTABLE PRINTING DEVICES Robert C. Lasseter, Murfreesboro, Tenn.

Application June 13, 1951, Serial No. 231,385

7 Claims. (Cl. 101212) This invention relates to portable hand operated printing devices and is particularly adapted for printing from restricted areas of large printing surfaces, and also from matter set up on a composing stone or table or locked in a galley.

The invention comprises an open frame having a spring suspended impression member mounted and guided therein to permit longitudinal movement back and forth in the frame.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive portable device capable of being applied by hand in an expeditious manner to matter disposed on a composing stone or table so as to clamp or hold an impression sheet firmly in place and prevent any slipping or rucking up during subsequent operation of the device in pressing the sheet against said printing matter to obtain an ink impression thereof, thus avoiding locking up and transferring the printing matter from the composing stone or table to a press.

It is an object of the invention to provide for supporting the impression member in an elevated position on the frame and permitting depression thereof from its elevated position into contact with that portion of an impression sheet which is exposed through the open back of the frame, and to permit movement thereof by hand across and in rolling contact with such exposed portion of the impression sheet.

It is an object of the invention to provide for forcing the frame into contact with portions of the impression sheet by the pressure applied to the impression member to clamp the same in place with relation to the printing surface.

With these and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the drawings, and set forth in the accompanying claims, it of course being understood that changes in the form, proportions, size and minor details may be made within the scope of the appended claims without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

There has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings two embodiments of the invention, each including an impression device, such as a roller extending horizontally across the frame which frame is open at its bottom and is adapted to be placed by hand with its open bottom lying against or on an impression sheet disposed upon a printing surface.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view partl broken away of one form of the invention.

Figure 2 is a sectional view on line 2-2 of Figure l, with the roller and handle in elevation.

Figure 3 is a side elevation of the invention as shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional view on line 5-5 of Figure 3.

2,715,361 Patented Aug. 16, 1955 "ice Figure 6 is a perspective view of the form of the invention illustrated in Figures 1 to 5.

Figure 7 is a partial plan view of another form of the invention.

Figure 8 is a sectional view on line 88 of Figure 7, with the roller in elevation.

Figure 9 is a sectional view on line 99 of Figure 7.

One embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, of the accompanying drawings to which figures reference will first be made.

As shown, the present invention includes a frame, which may be rectangular in shape and enclosing a space which is open or unobstructed in three dimensions as best shown in Figure 2 of the drawings. The frame comprises top and bottom longitudinal side members 1 and 2, shown in the accompanying drawings as reversely arranged channels with their open sides facing one another and end oars or members 2 connecting the ends of said side members to complete the frame. An impression member 4, here shown as a roller, extends transversely across and shorter than the space between the longitudinal side members of the frame and is mounted to be rotated on its longitudinal axis and to be moved back and forth or reeiprocated by hand in or on the frame. Elastically yieldable supporting means is provided for each of the roller trunnions 4 so that the roller may be pressed down by hand from its elevated normal position shown in Figure 2 and downwardly in the space enclosed by the frame and into rolling contact with a sheet of paper 5 resting upon or against the printing surface 6. Each trunnion is rotatably supported in a carriage mounted in one of the longitudinal side members of the frame. The carriages are duplicates in construction and operation, and there fore a description of one of them is deemed sufiicient. Each carriage includes pedestal member 7 open at its top and closed at its bottom, slidably mounted in the bottom channel member 2. Vertically slidable or telescoped within the pedestal 7 is a bearing member 8 projecting at its top upwardly through the open top of the pedestal. In the inner wall or side of the pedestal there is a vertical slot 9 through which the adjacent trunnion 4' projects, rotates and slides vertically and is rotatably received in a tubular bearing 10 carried by one or both vertical side walls of the inner bearing member. A coil spring 11 has each end suitably secured to the top of the pedestal with its middle part looped under the bearing 10 whereby the bearing member is suspended Within the pedestal and is elastically yieldable vertically so that the impression roller 4 is thus suspended in place and may be forced downwardly by hand from an intermediate normal position in the open space enclosed by the frame into rolling contact with the paper 5 on the printing surface.

The pedestal is supported on rollers or wheels 12 as best shown in Figure 4. The ends of the bottom of the pedestal are inclined upwardly and outwardly as at 12 to accommodate the wheels or rollers 13 therebeneath. The wheels or rollers are suitably journaled in the opposite side walls of the pedestal and travel on the bottom of the frame member 2 and thus provide for easy and effective travel back and forth of the carriage, in the sides of the frame.

At their tops, the pedestal 7 and bearing member 8 are received within the channel of the upper side member 1 and the top of the bearing member is provided with a plate 14 of suitable proportions forming a. broad surface to bear against the under side of the upper channel side-frame member for the purpose of preventing tilting of the carriage in a vertical direction and ensuring a 0 proper sliding movement of the carriage within the longitudinal side members.

Handle bars 15 are provided at opposite sides of the frame, each handle being carried at the upper end of a bracket 16, the lower end portion of which lies alongside of the pedestal. A pair of fastenings, such as bolts 17, extend horizontally from the lower portion of the bracket and project through and slide in. vertical slots 18 in the outer sidewall of the pedestal, and are connected to the upright wall of the bearing member 8, whereby the latter may be forced downwardly to depress the impression roller against the action of the suspension spring 11 and bring the roller into contact with the paper. A pair of bolts is employed for each handle to prevent swinging or turning thereof with respect to bearing member 8.

A cross bar 19 extends horizontally across the frame and has its opposite ends connected to the brackets 16 whereby the handle members are connected together to ensure synchronous sliding movement of the carriages; Another embodiment of the invention has been shown in Figures 7, 8 and 9 wherein 19' designates opposite parallelch'annel frame bars which are similar to frame bars 2 of Figures 1 to 6 and are connected at their corresponding ends by cross bars 20 so as to complete the frame. In this embodiment of the invention there are no upper frame bars. The side bars 19 and end bars 20 form a frame which is open at its top and bottom as in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive.

In this embodiment of the invention each journal 4 of the impression roller is supported upon a carriage mounted upon a side bar 19' of the frame and passes through a sleeve 21 which slides or telescopes upon a pedestal 22, and the journal passes through opposite slots 23 provided in the pedestal 22. Within the pedestal 22- there is a helical spring 24 upon which rests a 01 lower 25 having upstanding flanges or cars 26 through which the journal 4 extends. It will thus be understood that the journals of the impression roller are spring supported on the pedestals 22 and are capable of being depressed and the roller thrust downwardly in the open space enclosed by the frame so as to bring the impression roller into contact with the paper as described in connect'ion with the other form of the invention.

' Each of the pedestals 22 is carried by a channel member 30 having its side flanges 31 downwardly presented and positioned between the upstanding flanges of the side frame channel members 19. At opposite ends of the channel member 30 are rollers 32 journaled between the downturned flanges thereof and resting upon the transverse web of the channel member 19. Each inside vertical wall of the upstanding flanges of the member 19 is provided with a longitudinal groove 33 disposed parallel to the horizontal web of the member 19'. Upon the outer face of the downturned flanges of the channel member 30 is located a rib 34 positioned within the groove 33. By virtue of this construction the carriage with its pedestal travels upon rollers between the side flanges of the member 19 and is guided and retained by the interlocking relation of the grooves 33 and ribs 34.

Handle bars 27 are provided at opposite sides of the device and are connected by spaced bracket arms 28 straddling the pedestal 2 2 and suitably connected to the sleeve 21 as best shown in Figure 9 of the drawings. A pair of cross bars 29 connect the handles for simultaneous-movement thereof.

In both forms of the device, as shown in Figures 2,

4-, 8 and 9, the bottom surface of the frame is provided with a facing 35 of rubber, felt or the like in order to prevent relative movement between the frame and the impression sheet when the printing pressure is applied.

The device of the present invention is adaptable for taking an impression from a curved printing surface and an impression roller mounted transversely across the frame and journaled in the longitudinal side members thereof whereby it may be moved back and forth longitudinally along the frame. The journals are also spring supported on carriages and therefore the roller is normally supported in an elastically yieldable condition and may be depressed so as to bring it into contact with the paper against which the frame has been placed, whereby the paper may be satisfactorily pressed against a previously inked printing surface so as to obtain an impression thereof. In each form of the invention the roller is supported in a vertically yieldable bearing Which in turn is mounted on a carriage that is slidably received within channel bars that form the base of the frame, and the opposite journals are provided with connected handles whereby the journals of the roller may be equally and simultaneously depressed by hand operation.

. Having thus described the invention, what is claimed 1s:

1. A portable printing device comprising an open bottorn frame made up of opposite spaced parallel sides and opposite spaced ends, an impression roller Within said frame extending between the parallel sides thereof and provided with journals at its opposite ends, carriages supported upon said parallel sides of the frame and mounted to traverse the same between the ends thereof, a spring supported bearing mounted on each carriage, each of the journals of the roller being mounted in one of the bearings, and a handle member connected to each of said bearings. 2. A portable printing device comprising an open bottom frame made up of opposite spaced parallel sides and opposite spaced ends, an impression roller within said frame extending between the parallel sides thereof and provided with journals at its opposite ends, carriages supported upon said parallel sides of the frame and mounted to traverse the same between the endsthereof, each carriage including a pedestal provided with a slot, a spring supported bearing mounted within the pedestal and each journal extending throughsaid slot in the ad jacent pedestal and carried by the bearing therein and a handle connected to each bearing member independently of said frame.

3. A portable printing device comprising an open-bottom frame made up of opposite spaced parallel sides and opposite spaced ends, an impression roller within said frame extending between the parallel sides thereof and provided with journals at its opposite ends, carriages supported upon said parallel sides of the frame and mounted totraverse the same between the ends thereof, each carriage including a pedestal provided with a slot, a spring supported bearing mounted within the pedestal and each journal extending through said slot in the adjacent pedestal' and carried by the bearing therein, and a tension spring having its opposite ends connected to the top of the pedestal and its intermediate portion lying under and supporting the bearing and a handle connected to each bearing member independently of said frame.

4'. A portable printing device comprising an open-bottom frame made up of opposite spaced parallel sides comprising upper and lower channels having their open sides facing one another and opposite spaced end members connecting said channels, carriages slidable in the channels, each carriage including a pedestal mounted at its bottom in the lower channel, a bearing member telescoped within the pedestal, a spring supporting said bearing member and holding its upper end projected above the top of the pedestal and slidably received within an upper channel, and an impression roller having opposite jourrials projecting through slots in the pedestals and mounted upon the respective bearing members and a handle connected to each bearing member independently of .said frame.

5. A portable printing device comprising an open-bottom frame made up of opposite spaced parallel sides and opposite spaced ends, an impression roller within said frame extending between the parallel sides thereof and provided with journals at its opposite ends, carriages supported upon said parallel sides of the frame and mounted to traverse the same between the ends thereof, each carriage including a pedestal, a coil spring within said pedestal, a bearing supported upon the spring and provided with upstanding ears, each journal extending through opposite slots in the pedestal and through aligned openings in the ears of the bearing member and a handle connected to each bearing member independently of said frame.

6. A portable printing device comprising an open-bottom frame made up of opposite spaced parallel sides and opposite spaced ends, an impression roller within said frame extending between the parallel sides thereof and provided with journals at its opposite ends, carriages supported upon said parallel sides of the frame and mounted to traverse the same between the ends thereof, each carriage including a pedestal, a coil spring within the pedestal, a bearing supported upon the spring and provided with upstanding ears, each journal extending through opposite slots in the pedestal and through aligned openings in the ears of the bearing member, a sleeve telescopically embracing each pedestal and provided with openings receiving the adjacent journal, and a handle having brackets secured to the respective sleeve.

7. A portable printing device comprising an open bottom frame made up of opposite spaced parallel sides and opposite spaced ends, an impression roller within said frame extending between the parallel sides thereof, carriages supported upon said parallel sides of the frame and mounted to traverse the same between the ends thereof, means supporting said roller ends for vertical reciprocation within said carriages, yielding means reacting against said frame urging said roller ends upwardly, and a handle member connected with each of said supporting means, whereby said frame may be pressed upon the underlying impression sheet to clampingly hold the latter in position upon the supporting surface and the roller may be moved into engagement with the impression sheet and then horizontally reciprocated within the frame.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 469,632 Ethridge et a1 Feb. 23, 1892 627,636 Beckton June 27, 1899 1,060,578 Bacon May 6, 1913 1,135,243 Wright Apr. 13, 1915 1,466,303 Kellogg Aug. 28, 1923 1,513,082 Bacon Oct. 28, 1924 1,647,967 Buchi Nov. 1, 1927 1,876,369 Waterworth Sept. 6, 1932 2,176,371 Wahl Oct. 17, 1939 FOREIGN PATENTS 148,147 Switzerland Sept. 16, 1931 

